Search

If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Well progress has been very slow for one reason and another, but I am running out of time so with no big end or main bearings arriving I decided to tackle the front wishbone bushes, this was not as bad as I was expecting, basically brute force and ignorance plus youtube was the order of the day.

Luckily, many many years ago, I had bought a complete poly bush set for an older Vette and they are the same so I have installed new poly bushes in the upper and lower wishbones as well as the antiroll bar drop links. Will need to do the power steering ram bushes as well.

I did manage to bugger up one of the brake hard lines so will have to make one of those up. Would really have liked to get all the bits shot blasted and painted but time is not on my side so a quick wire brush and some satin black paint is all it is getting for now.

The big end and main bearings finally arrived today, I have no idea what I did wrong but Rockauto sent the bearings via parcel force, they were in customs holding for three days and I got stung for VAT plus Parcel forces £12 plus administration fees, no import duty. This is the longest time taken for anything to get to me from Rockauto and I have never had issues with duty or VAT or postal charges before so not sure what I did differently this time but it is putting me off buying from them at the moment.

The strange thing was that the bearings country of origin was GERMANY!!! Took from the 23rd. May till 13th. June, not best pleased.

To be fair I haven't had issues before this delivery BUT Bloody hell if it wasn't for the bad luck I'm having I wouldn't have any at all.

Finished the front suspension and steering bushes so today I came home early and thought I would put the crank back in the engine and plasigage things to ensure everything would be ok, BUGGER BUGGER and BUGGER again, opened the box to find the Main bearings, no issues correct size and number, small packet? not sure what that was so opened that to find a large nut, large washer, spacer tube and an aluminium blind rivet! Not ordered by me, anyway then opened the connecting rod bearing box to find 8 big end shells, wait for it 8 shells, oh GM must have made a 4 pot motor for the 79 year of corvettes!!!!! SO, correct size big end bearings for only half the engine AAAAARRRRGGGHHH!!!!!

Sent off the automated dispute thing and have to wait for a reply as to what they are going to do, but if it takes as long as the last delivery then there will be no wedding car that's for sure, so well miffed at the moment.

Yes sweating and no back up plan as yet. Rockauto are sending the remainder of the big end bearings but I believe it will be snail mail and yes even though I shouldn't get stung again I will, even if it is just Parcel Farce's handling fees again.

Going to get on with other bits till the parts arrive, not going to get it fully done but if I can get it running and MOT'd I'll bodge errrrr make the bodywork look better from at least 20 feet or so, it will sound bloody loud so if it gets running at least everyone will know she is on the way

I'll sort a back up plan when I know there is no hope of me getting the thing running, here's hoping and fingers crossed.

OOOOOOOOHHHHHHH just thought this could be a good idea for a TV program, I bet no-one else has thought of putting stupid deadlines on a car build and filming it.

Just a smidge of progress, I now have a 4 cylinder SBC, well fitted the crank and the four big ends I had. I used a bit of plastigage and the clearance is spot on at .002" and the crank still turns ok so now just have to wait for the other four pairs to arrive, which are currently still in California

Tomorrow I will make up a couple of new brake pipes for the front end as I twisted one pipe whilest trying to get the hard line separated from the flexi so will change both hard lines to the front calipers and also have a look at the rear line just in case.

The jobs to do list is fairly extensive so some items will be put on hold for a later date (read another year or so). shame really as now would be the optimal time to do them if there wasn't a deadline to meet.

The big end bearings are now in Los Angeles by all accounts, think that must be progress.

Both front brake pipes have been made and fitted, still to bleed the system but the clutch and brake pedals are very stiff to move so have sprayed a load of WD40 everywhere I can inside the car (no carpets so no worries).

Got the anti roll bar fitted back up and greased all the front end greasable bits. Next bit to sort is the headlights, they worked but one was very slow to lift and so I bought some new seals for the actuators, hopefully they will do the job, otherwise they will be left in the upright position for now.

One issue I had with the headlights was that I put really over the top powerful lamps in and after a shortwhile when on main beam (all four lamps) would all go out and I had to revert back to dip beam really quickly, bloody scary at night down some of our lanes. Think I might try a couple of relays to see if that cures it or not.

Still can't upload photo's but really not a lot to see anyway, but progress is progress so slowly we are getting there.

Well the engine is back in but everything I wanted to fit doesn't for no good reason. firstly the headers - managed to get them on after having to remove the spark plugs I had only just fitted, tightened the headers up and the passenger side hits a bolt on the idler arm, not a biggie as I will get the Birmingham screwdriver onto it, on the drivers side it hits the steering arm on full lock, again not a biggie the Brummie screwdriver will be used again. It does bother me a little as these are secondhand units taken from a 1974 small block vette with manual box so why the hell do they foul on a 1979 small block manual vette?

Next up was the billet aluminium alternator bracket - bought specifically for the vette, well with the original alternator and bracket it was nearly impossible to get the lid off the power steering pump, the new bracket actually could not fit as it sat on top of the power steering pump, so out came the hacksaw and I cut off 20mm or so of the bottom corner of the bracket and that now fits and you can just about get to the power steering pump lid but I doubt you could get any oil in it so good job it's full

None of the pullies lined up for some reason, till I realised that the harmonioc balancer was not far enough on, I tightened the central bolt to well past the specified torque setting but it was still not fully home so out came the massive Brummie screwdriver and it went home ok, but I have had to space out the water pump pulley and the power steering pump to make all the pullies line up ok. Still a little work on the alternator but nearly there.

So time is running out faster than a fast thing, so the car will not get painted even thouigh I have got the paint I will just not have the time so a plan B will be used to deflect that area of the car.

The list of items still to do is as follows:

Fit the radiator
Plumb all the water hoses
Sort out what vacuum hoses are still needed for the carb and blank off those no longer required (I removed the air pump completely)
New oil Filter and Oil
Prime the engine
Fit the distributor
Fit the new Plug leads
Refit the plugs
Reinstall the wiring in the engine bay
Refit the passenger door
Get the electric windows to work
Fit the carpeting
Fit the seats
Make up and fit centre console side panels
Fit the door cards
Fit the battery
Fit the reminder of the exhaust system (only headers fitted at the moment)
Replace the two rear tyres
Sort out the steering column (could be the deal breaker as the indicator stalk fell off)
Bleed the braking system
Refit the bonnet
Test drive
Get it MOT'd

Individually the items above are nothing but as I find that nothing is fitting first time I am getting a bit worried I will miss the deadline but we are still trying and a plan B has been sorted although not ideal it will get the bride to the wedding just not in the car she really wants to be in.